At the age of 1, Spezza won a baby contest and began his youth modelling career. The victory resulted in Spezza becoming the poster boy for Baby, a Broadway musical that played at Toronto's O'Keefe Centre in the summer of 1984. At five years old, Spezza was chosen for a Minute Maid commercial. Two years later, he modelled clothing for stores Woolco and Kmart.[2][3]

At 15 years old, Spezza began his major junior career in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) with the Brampton Battalion in 1998–99, under a rule permitting the then-underage player to play on his hometown team. He recorded beyond a point-per-game pace as an underaged player with 71 points in 67 games. He subsequently became the youngest player ever to participate in an OHL all-star game at the age of 15.[4] After one season with the Battalion, he was required to enter the OHL Priority Draft and was selected by the expansion Mississauga IceDogs in the team's second season in 1999–2000. He recorded 61 points in 52 games that season before requesting a trade and subsequently being dealt 15 games into the 2000–01 season to the Windsor Spitfires.[4] Spezza went on to record a career high 116 points in 66 games that season.

After one more OHL season split between the Spitfires and the Belleville Bulls, resulting in a 105-point season, Spezza began his professional career in the American Hockey League (AHL). He signed his first professional contract with the Senators, a multi-year deal, on September 5, 2001.[4]

Following Spezza's fourth OHL season in 2001–02, he was assigned to the Senators' AHL affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins for the 2002 Calder Cup playoffs, where he made his professional debut, playing in 3 post-season games and recording 1 goal. Spezza made his NHL debut the next season in 2002–03 with Ottawa, playing in 33 games and recording 21 points, and scored his first NHL goal on October 29, 2002 in a 2-1 loss against the Philadelphia Flyers. He played the majority of the season, however, in the AHL with Ottawa's new affiliate, the Binghamton Senators, and was called up regularly to replace injured Ottawa players. He also competed in three playoff games with Ottawa during his rookie season, helping the team in its 2003 playoff run to the semifinals. The Senators came within one game of the Final, losing to the eventual Stanley Cup champion New Jersey Devils.

With NHL play set to resume in 2005–06, Spezza returned to Ottawa. Having traded centres Radek Bonk and Todd White during the off-season, the Senators started Spezza on the first line between Dany Heatley and rookie Brandon Bochenski, who was Spezza's linemate in Binghamton. After captainDaniel Alfredsson replaced Bochenski on the top line (Bochenski was soon thereafter traded), the trio, nicknamed the 'CASH' and 'Pizza' line,.[6] Wingers Alfredsson and Heatley both finished tied for fourth in league scoring with 103 points, while Spezza tallied 90 points despite an injury-shortened 68-game season. His 71 assists established a team single-season record and was second in the league behind Joe Thornton of the San Jose Sharks (96 assists). In the 2006 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Senators defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round, but fell to the Buffalo Sabres in five games. Spezza added 14 points in ten post-season games.

During the summer of 2006, Spezza underwent successful back surgery. The following season, he continued on the same pace with Heatley and Alfredsson before suffering another injury. He managed a career-high 34 goals and finished with 87 points in 67 games. On May 19, 2007, he scored a goal and an assist as the Senators defeated the Buffalo Sabres in the Eastern Conference final four games to one. They moved to the Stanley Cup Final against the Anaheim Ducks, but lost in five games after the Spezza-Heatley-Alfredsson line failed to perform against Sammy Pahlsson's checking line, backed by star defencemen Scott Niedermayer and Chris Pronger. Spezza finished the playoffs with a franchise-record 22 post-season points, tied with linemates Alfredsson and Heatley.

Spezza during a pre-game warmup with the Senators in 2007.

Beginning 2007–08 in the last season of his contract, Spezza signed a seven-year contract extension with the Senators worth $49 million on November 2, 2007.[7] Late that season, on February 9, 2008, Spezza scored his first NHL hat-trick during a 6–1 Senators victory over the Montreal Canadiens. Spezza contributed to all of his team's goals, for a career-high six-point night.[citation needed] He finished tying his career-high in goals with 34 and establishing a new personal mark for points with 92. The Senators, however, failed to advance past the first round following their Stanley Cup run the previous season, falling to the Pittsburgh Penguins in four games.

The 2008–09 season was a disappointing one for both Spezza and the Senators. Though he managed to remain injury-free and played in all of his team's 82 games for the first time in his NHL career, his point production decreased. Spezza managed 73 points in 82 games, and while still respectable, the numbers were his lowest totals since his first full NHL season in 2003–04. The team struggled all season long, and would miss the playoffs for the first time since 1995–96.

Despite missing 22 games due to injury in the 2009–10 season, Spezza still managed to score 23 goals and pick up 34 assists for 57 points in 60 games to finish second on the team in scoring. In the first round of the playoffs, the Senators lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins four games to two. Spezza finished with one goal and six assists for seven points in the six games. He also led the team in shots on goal with 24.[8] However, Spezza's poor defensive play and costly turnovers in that series resulted in him being booed by fans at Scotiabank Place, and the following off-season was rife with speculation that he would be traded.[9] Spezza himself admitted that he would not object to a trade out of Ottawa.[10] Ultimately, no trade was forthcoming and Spezza remained an Ottawa Senator.

On Sunday, December 26, 2010, in a 3–1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins, Spezza was checked from behind into the boards by Penguins defenceman Kris Letang. Letang received a two-minute penalty for boarding and Spezza was expected to miss 4 to 6 weeks due to the shoulder injury he suffered as a result from Letang's hit from behind.[11]

At the end of the 2010–11 season, Spezza was named on an interim basis as an alternate captain after the trade of Mike Fisher. In 2011–12, Spezza was named as a permanent alternate captain for the Senators. He remained injury-free and finished fourth in league scoring, earning consideration for the Hart Memorial Trophy.[12][13] Spezza was ultimately not a finalist for the award, finishing sixth in Hart voting.[14]

Spezza spent time with Rapperswil-Jona Lakers of the SwissNational League A during the 2012–13 NHL lock-out and returned to the Senators once a resolution had been negotiated. He registered two goals and three assists in five games before a back injury sidelined him. The Senators announced on January 31, 2013, that Spezza would be out of the Ottawa line-up for a minimum of two months, and possibly longer, as he required surgery for a herniated disc in his back. The injury occurred in a game against the Pittsburgh Penguins on January 27.[15] Spezza ultimately missed the remainder of the regular season and the first round of the playoffs. He returned to action on May 19, 2013, for the third game of Ottawa's Eastern Conference Semifinal series against Pittsburgh.[16]

On September 14, 2013, Spezza was named the eighth captain in Senators' franchise history, replacing long time teammate Daniel Alfredsson, who had departed to the Detroit Red Wings on July 5, 2013 as a free agent.

After the conclusion of his first season as the Senators captain in 2013–14 it was revealed by Ottawa General Manager Bryan Murray that Spezza had requested a trade from the Senators.[17] At the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, a potential trade to the Nashville Predators was negotiated by Murray but rejected by Spezza as the Predators were one of the teams named in his limited no trade clause.[18]

On July 1, 2014, Spezza's wish was granted as he was traded to the Dallas Stars, along with Ludwig Karlsson, in a deal that sent Alex Chiasson, Alex Guptill, Nicolas Paul and a 2015 second-round pick to Ottawa.[19][20] On November 21, Spezza and the Stars came to an agreement on an extension for four years at an annual average salary of $7.5 million that will keep him in Dallas through the 2018–19 season.[21] He scored 17 goals with 45 assists in 82 games in his first season with the Stars, as they missed the playoffs. His offensive production improved the following season, scoring 33 goals in 75 games as the Stars qualified for the playoffs as the top seed in the West.

As a junior, Spezza represented Canada's national junior team three consecutive years. He made his debut at the 2000 World Junior Championships, becoming just the third 16-year-old to make the team in Team Canada history, after Wayne Gretzky and Eric Lindros (this feat was also accomplished the same year by defenceman Jay Bouwmeester and Sidney Crosby in 2004).[22][23] Spezza contributed 2 assists in 7 games as Canada captured a bronze medal. He returned in 2001 for a second consecutive bronze medal, while improving to 3 goals and 3 assists. Spezza made it to the gold medal game with Team Canada in his third and final World Junior appearance in 2002, but lost to Russia to earn the silver.

As a member of the Senators, Spezza was made a reserve for Team Canada at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, but did not play. He would make his men's debut for Team Canada at the 2008 World Championships, being named to the team along with Senators linemate Dany Heatley. He earned a silver medal, losing to Russia in the gold medal game. With the Senators failing to make the NHL playoffs the following year, Spezza again represented Canada at the 2009 World Championships. He won another silver medal, losing to Russia in the gold medal game for the second consecutive year. Spezza, along with Finland's Niko Kapanen and fellow Canadian Steven Stamkos, finished the tournament tied for first in goal scoring with 7.[24]

Despite his success with the national team in the two previous World Championships, as well as being named a reserve for the 2006 Olympic team, Spezza was left off Team Canada's initial summer camp roster in preparation for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. However, after veteran Joe Sakic announced his retirement and Ryan Getzlaf declared he required more time to recover from injury, Spezza was invited to fill in one of the vacant spots.[25]

At the 2015 World Championships, where Canada won the gold medal for the first time since 2007 with a perfect 10–0 record, Spezza was named best forward and a member of the all-star team; he was the tournament's leading scorer.[28][29]

Spezza participates in numerous activities outside of hockey, especially the "Spelling with Spezza" program. Winners receive a poster of Spezza and a pair of tickets to a Senators' home game. The program recognizes the importance of spelling. Spezza visits selected classes registered for the program. Last season over 600 classes in the Ottawa-Gatineau area participated in Spelling with Spezza.[30] He also contributes to Ronald McDonald House Charities.[31]

On June 8, 2010, Spezza's wife Jennifer gave birth to the couple's first child, a daughter named Sophia Donna Spezza, at St. Joseph's Health Centre in Toronto.[33] Their second daughter Nicola Patricia Spezza was born on April 1, 2012 in Ottawa, Ontario.[34] Their third daughter Anna Lucia Spezza was born on May 23, 2014 in Toronto, Ontario. Their fourth daughter Julia Spezza was born March 15, 2016, in Dallas, Texas.[35] Since Spezza left Ottawa, he has sold his west-end home.[36]

1.
Mississauga
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Mississauga /ˌmɪsɪˈsɒɡə/ is a city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Situated in Southern Ontario, it lies on the shores of Lake Ontario in the Regional Municipality of Peel and it is part of the Greater Toronto Area, to the west of Toronto. The city has a population of 721,599 as of the Canada 2016 Census, a suburb of Toronto, Mississaugas growth is attributed to its proximity to that city. It is the largest suburb in Anglo-America by population, in recent decades, the city has attracted a multicultural population and has plans for developing its downtown core. Residents of the city are called Mississaugans or Saugans, Toronto Pearson International Airport, Canadas busiest airport, is located in the city, and it is the location of many major corporate headquarters for Canada. At the time of the arrival of the Europeans in the 1600s, One of the First Nations groups the French traders found around the Credit River area were the Algonquian Mississaugas, a tribe originally from the Georgian Bay area. The name Mississauga comes from the Anishinaabe word Misi-zaagiing, meaning Great River-mouth, by 1700 the Mississaugas had driven away the Iroquois, yet during the Beaver Wars they played a neutral or post-emptive role. Toronto Township, consisting of most of present-day Mississauga, was formed on 2 August 1805 when officials from York purchased 84,000 acres of land from the Mississaugas. In January 2010, the Mississaugas and the government settled a land claim, in which the band of aboriginal people received $145,000,000, as just compensation for their land. The original villages settled included, Lakeview, Clarkson, Cooksville, Dixie, Erindale, Lorne Park, Port Credit, Sheridan and this region would become known as Toronto Township. Part of northeast Mississauga, including the Airport lands and Malton were part of Toronto Gore Township, a group of settlers from New York City arrived in the 1830s. The government wanted to compensate the Loyalists for property lost in the colonies, in 1820, the government purchased additional land from the Mississaugas. Additional settlements were established, including, Barbertown, Britannia, Burnhamthorpe, Derry West, Elmbank, Malton, Meadowvale Village, Mount Charles, european-Canadian growth led to the eventual displacement of the Mississaugas. In 1847, the government relocated them to a reserve in the Grand River Valley, in 1873, in light of the continued growth seen in this area much as a result of the many railway lines passing through the township which spurred on industry. The Toronto Township Council was formed to oversee the affairs of the villages that were unincorporated at that time. The Councils responsibilities included road maintenance, and the constitution of a police force, in the 1920s, cottages were constructed along the shores of Lake Ontario as weekend getaway houses for city dwellers. 17 years later in 1937,1,410.8 acres of land was sold to build the Malton Airport and it became Canadas busiest airport which also put the end to the community of Elmbank. The first prototypical suburban developments occurred around the time, in the area south of the Dixie Road/QEW interchange

2.
Ice hockey
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Ice hockey is a contact team sport played on ice, usually in a rink, in which two teams of skaters use their sticks to shoot a vulcanized rubber puck into their opponents net to score points. Ice hockey teams usually consist of six each, one goaltender. A fast-paced, physical sport, ice hockey is most popular in areas of North America, Ice hockey is the official national winter sport of Canada, where the game enjoys immense popularity. In North America, the National Hockey League is the highest level for mens hockey, the Kontinental Hockey League is the highest league in Russia and much of Eastern Europe. The International Ice Hockey Federation is the governing body for international ice hockey. The IIHF manages international tournaments and maintains the IIHF World Ranking, worldwide, there are ice hockey federations in 74 countries. Ice hockey is believed to have evolved from simple stick and ball games played in the 18th and 19th century United Kingdom and these games were brought to North America and several similar winter games using informal rules were developed, such as shinny and ice polo. The contemporary sport of ice hockey was developed in Canada, most notably in Montreal, some characteristics of that game, such as the length of the ice rink and the use of a puck, have been retained to this day. Amateur ice hockey began in the 1880s, and professional ice hockey originated around 1900. The Stanley Cup, emblematic of ice hockey club supremacy, was first awarded in 1893 to recognize the Canadian amateur champion, in international competitions, the national teams of six countries predominate, Canada, Czech Republic, Finland, Russia, Sweden and the United States. Of the 69 medals awarded all-time in mens competition at the Olympics, in the annual Ice Hockey World Championships,177 of 201 medals have been awarded to the six nations. In Russia and the Ukraine, where hockey can also refer to bandy, the name hockey has no clear origin. The English historian and biographer John Strype did not use the word hockey when he translated the proclamation in 1720, the 1573 Statute of Galway banned a sport called hokie—the hurling of a little ball with sticks or staves. A form of this word was thus being used in the 16th century, though much removed from its current usage. According to the Austin Hockey Association, the word derives from the Scots Gaelic puc or the Irish poc. The blow given by a hurler to the ball with his caman or hurley is always called a puck. Stick-and-ball games date back to pre-Christian times, in Europe, these games included the Irish game of hurling, the closely related Scottish game of shinty and versions of field hockey. IJscolf, a game resembling colf on a surface, was popular in the Low Countries between the Middle Ages and the Dutch Golden Age. It was played with a curved bat, a wooden or leather ball

3.
National Hockey League
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Headquartered in New York City, the NHL is considered to be the premier professional ice hockey league in the world, and one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada. The Stanley Cup, the oldest professional sports trophy in North America, is awarded annually to the playoff champion at the end of each season. At its inception, the NHL had four teams—all in Canada, the league expanded to the United States in 1924, when the Boston Bruins joined, and has since consisted of American and Canadian teams. After a labour-management dispute that led to the cancellation of the entire 2004–05 season, in 2009, the NHL enjoyed record highs in terms of sponsorships, attendance, and television audiences. The league draws many highly skilled players from all over the world, canadians have historically constituted the majority of the players in the league, with an increasing percentage of American and European players in recent seasons. The National Hockey League was established in 1917 as the successor to the National Hockey Association, founded in 1909, the NHA began play one year later with seven teams in Ontario and Quebec, and was one of the first major leagues in professional ice hockey. Realizing the NHA constitution left them unable to force Livingstone out, the four teams voted instead to suspend the NHA, frank Calder was chosen as its first president, serving until his death in 1943. The Bulldogs were unable to play, and the remaining owners created a new team in Toronto, the first games were played on December 19,1917. The Montreal Arena burned down in January 1918, causing the Wanderers to cease operations, the NHL replaced the NHA as one of the leagues that competed for the Stanley Cup, which was an interleague competition back then. Toronto won the first NHL title, and then defeated the Vancouver Millionaires of the Pacific Coast Hockey Association for the 1918 Stanley Cup. The Canadiens won the title in 1919, however their Stanley Cup Final against the PCHAs Seattle Metropolitans was abandoned as a result of the Spanish Flu epidemic. Montreal in 1924 won their first Stanley Cup as a member of the NHL, the Hamilton Tigers, won the regular season title in 1924–25 but refused to play in the championship series unless they were given a C$200 bonus. The league refused and declared the Canadiens the league champion after defeated the Toronto St. Patricks in the semi-final. Montreal was then defeated by the Victoria Cougars of the Western Canada Hockey League for the 1925 Stanley Cup and it was the last time a non-NHL team won the trophy, as the Stanley Cup became the de facto NHL championship in 1926 after the WCHL ceased operation. The National Hockey League embarked on rapid expansion in the 1920s, adding the Montreal Maroons, the Bruins were the first American team in the league. The New York Americans began play in 1925 after purchasing the assets of the Hamilton Tigers, the New York Rangers were added in 1926. The Chicago Black Hawks and Detroit Cougars were also added after the league purchased the assets of the defunct WCHL, a group purchased the Toronto St. Patricks in 1927 and immediately renamed them the Maple Leafs. The first NHL All-Star Game was held in 1934 to benefit Ace Bailey, the second was held in 1937 in support of Howie Morenzs family when he died of a coronary embolism after breaking his leg during a game

4.
Dallas Stars
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The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League, the team was founded during the 1967 NHL expansion as the Minnesota North Stars, based in Bloomington, Minnesota. Before the beginning of the 1978–79 NHL season, the merged with the Cleveland Barons after the league granted them permission due to each teams respective financial struggles. Ultimately, the relocated to Dallas for the 1993–94 NHL season. The Stars played out of Reunion Arena from their relocation until 2001, the Stars have won eight division titles in Dallas, two Presidents Trophies as the top regular season team in the NHL, the Western Conference championship twice, and in 1998–99, the Stanley Cup. Joe Nieuwendyk won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the playoffs that year, in 2000, Neal Broten was inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame. In 2009, Brett Hull became the first Dallas Stars player inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, followed by Ed Belfour and Joe Nieuwendyk in 2011, in 2010, brothers Derian and Kevin Hatcher were inducted to the United States Hockey Hall of Fame. The Minnesota North Stars began play in 1967 as part of the NHLs six-team expansion, home games were played at the newly constructed Metropolitan Sports Center in Bloomington, Minnesota. Initially successful both on the ice and at the gate, the North Stars fell victim to financial problems after several seasons in the mid-1970s. In 1978, the North Stars were purchased by the owners of the Cleveland Barons, with both teams on the verge of folding, the NHL permitted the two failing franchises to merge. The merger brought with it a number of talented players, and the North Stars were revived—they reached the Stanley Cup Finals in 1981, the NHL rejected the request and instead agreed to award an expansion franchise, the San Jose Sharks, to the Gund brothers. In the following season, the Minnesota North Stars made it to the Stanley Cup Finals, after the 1991 season, the North Stars suffered through poor attendance and profitability. The teams fortunes were further impeded by the terms of the settlement with the Gund brothers, New owner Norman Green explored the possibility of moving the team to Anaheim, however the NHL decided instead to place the expansion Mighty Ducks there in 1992. In their final two seasons in Minnesota, the adopted a new logo which omitted the North from North Stars. In 1993, amid further attendance woes and bitter controversy, Green obtained permission to move the team to Dallas. Green was convinced by former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach that Dallas would be a market for an NHL team. The Stars would move into Reunion Arena, built in 1980, the Stars played their first game in Dallas on October 5,1993, a 6–4 win against the Detroit Red Wings. In that game, Neal Broten scored the first Stars goal in Dallas, Dallas was an experiment for the NHL

5.
Ottawa Senators
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The Ottawa Senators are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League, the Senators play their home games at the 18,694 seat Canadian Tire Centre which opened in 1996. Founded and established by Ottawa real estate developer Bruce Firestone, the team is the second NHL franchise to use the Ottawa Senators name. The original Ottawa Senators, founded in 1883, had a history, winning 11 Stanley Cups. On December 6,1990, after a public campaign by Firestone, the NHL awarded a new franchise. The current team owner is Eugene Melnyk, and in 2016, the club has been regularly represented in the top half in attendance in the NHL. Ottawa had been home to the original Senators, a founding NHL franchise, the NHL team was unsuccessful in St. Louis, and planned to return to Ottawa, but the NHL decided instead to suspend the franchise and transfer the players to other NHL teams. His firm, Terrace Investments, did not have the assets to finance the expansion fee and the team. Public support was high and the group would secure over 11,000 season ticket pledges, on December 12,1990, the NHL approved a new franchise for Firestones group, to start play in the 1992–93 season. The new team hired former NHL player Mel Bridgman, who had no previous NHL management experience, when Sutter was eventually signed to coach the Boston Bruins, Ottawa signed Rick Bowness, the man Sutter replaced in Boston. The new Senators played their first game on October 8,1992, the Senators defeated the Canadiens 5–3 in one of the few highlights that season. The Senators had aimed low and considered the 1992–93 season a small success, the long term plan was to finish low in the standings for its first few years in order to secure high draft picks and eventually contend for the Stanley Cup. Bridgman was fired after one season and Team President Randy Sexton took over the general manager duties, Firestone himself soon left the team and Rod Bryden emerged as the new owner. The strategy of aiming low and securing a high position did not change. The Senators finished last overall for the three seasons. Alexei Yashin, the teams first-ever draft selection from 1992, emerged as one of the NHLs brightest young stars, as the 1995–96 season began, star centre Alexei Yashin refused to honour his contract and did not play. Rick Bowness was fired in late 1995 and was replaced by the Prince Edward Island Senators head coach Dave Allison, Allison would fare no better than his predecessor, and the team would stumble to a 2–22–3 record under him. Sexton himself was fired and replaced by Pierre Gauthier, the former assistant GM of Anaheim, Martin outlasted several general managers and a change in ownership

6.
Ice Hockey World Championships
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The Ice Hockey World Championships are an annual international mens ice hockey tournament organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation. First officially held at the 1920 Summer Olympics, it is the sports highest profile annual international tournament, the IIHF was created in 1908 while the European Championships, the precursor to the World Championships, were first held in 1910. The tournament held at the 1920 Summer Olympics is recognized as the first Ice Hockey World Championship, between 1920 and 1968, the Olympic hockey tournament was also considered the World Championship for that year. The first World Championship that was held as an event was in 1930 in which twelve nations participated. In 1931, ten teams played a series of round-robin format qualifying rounds to determine which nations participated in the medal round, medals were awarded based on the final standings of the teams in the medal round. This basic format would be used until 1992, in 1951, thirteen nations took part and were split into two groups. The top seven teams played for the World Championship, the other six played for ranking purposes. During a congress in 1990, the IIHF introduced a playoff system, as the IIHF grew, more teams began to participate at the World Championships, so more pools were introduced. The modern format for the World Championship features 16 teams in the group,12 teams in Division I and 12 teams in Division II. If there are more than 40 teams, the rest compete in Division III, the teams in the championship play a preliminary round, then the top eight teams play in the playoff medal round and the winning team is crowned World Champion. Over the years, the tournament has gone through several rule changes, in 1969 body-checking in all three zones in a rink was allowed, helmets and goaltender masks became mandatory in the early 1970s and in 1992 the IIHF began using the shootout. The current IIHF rules differ slightly from the used in the NHL. The World Championships have been open to all players, both professional and amateur, since 1977, the IIHF requires that players are citizens of the country they represent and allow players to switch national teams provided that they play in their new nation for a certain period of time. Canada was the tournaments first dominant team, winning the tournament 12 times between 1930 and 1952, the United States, Czechoslovakia, Sweden, Great Britain and Switzerland were also competitive during this period. The Soviet Union first participated in 1954 and soon became rivals with Canada, from 1963 until the nations breakup in 1991, the Soviet Union was the dominant team, winning 20 championships. During that period, only three other nations won medals, Canada, Czechoslovakia and Sweden, Russia first participated in 1992 and the Czech Republic and Slovakia began competing in 1993. In the 2000s, the became more open as the Big Six teams – Canada, the Czech Republic, Finland, Russia, Sweden. Thus, NHL players generally only participate once their respective team is eliminated from Stanley Cup contention, the 79th World Championship was held in Prague and Ostrava, Czech Republic, and was the most successful to date in terms of overall attendance

7.
Italians
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Italians are a nation and ethnic group native to Italy who share a common culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a native tongue. The majority of Italian nationals are speakers of Standard Italian. Italians have greatly influenced and contributed to the arts and music, science, technology, cuisine, sports, fashion, jurisprudence, banking, Italian people are generally known for their localism and their attention to clothing and family values. The term Italian is at least 3,000 years old and has a history that goes back to pre-Roman Italy. According to one of the common explanations, the term Italia, from Latin, Italia, was borrowed through Greek from the Oscan Víteliú. The bull was a symbol of the southern Italic tribes and was often depicted goring the Roman wolf as a defiant symbol of free Italy during the Social War. Greek historian Dionysius of Halicarnassus states this account together with the legend that Italy was named after Italus, mentioned also by Aristotle and Thucydides. The Etruscan civilization reached its peak about the 7th century BC, but by 509 BC, when the Romans overthrew their Etruscan monarchs, its control in Italy was on the wane. By 350 BC, after a series of wars between Greeks and Etruscans, the Latins, with Rome as their capital, gained the ascendancy by 272 BC, and they managed to unite the entire Italian peninsula. This period of unification was followed by one of conquest in the Mediterranean, in the course of the century-long struggle against Carthage, the Romans conquered Sicily, Sardinia and Corsica. Finally, in 146 BC, at the conclusion of the Third Punic War, with Carthage completely destroyed and its inhabitants enslaved, octavian, the final victor, was accorded the title of Augustus by the Senate and thereby became the first Roman emperor. After two centuries of rule, in the 3rd century AD, Rome was threatened by internal discord and menaced by Germanic and Asian invaders. Emperor Diocletians administrative division of the empire into two parts in 285 provided only temporary relief, it became permanent in 395, in 313, Emperor Constantine accepted Christianity, and churches thereafter rose throughout the empire. However, he moved his capital from Rome to Constantinople. The last Western emperor, Romulus Augustulus, was deposed in 476 by a Germanic foederati general in Italy and his defeat marked the end of the western part of the Roman Empire. During most of the period from the fall of Rome until the Kingdom of Italy was established in 1861, Odoacer ruled well for 13 years after gaining control of Italy in 476. Then he was attacked and defeated by Theodoric, the king of another Germanic tribe, Theodoric and Odoacer ruled jointly until 493, when Theodoric murdered Odoacer. Theodoric continued to rule Italy with an army of Ostrogoths and a government that was mostly Italian, after the death of Theodoric in 526, the kingdom began to grow weak

8.
Ontario
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Ontario, one of the 13 provinces and territories of Canada, is located in east-central Canada. It is Canadas most populous province by a margin, accounting for nearly 40 percent of all Canadians. Ontario is fourth-largest in total area when the territories of the Northwest Territories and it is home to the nations capital city, Ottawa, and the nations most populous city, Toronto. There is only about 1 km of land made up of portages including Height of Land Portage on the Minnesota border. Ontario is sometimes divided into two regions, Northern Ontario and Southern Ontario. The great majority of Ontarios population and arable land is located in the south, in contrast, the larger, northern part of Ontario is sparsely populated with cold winters and is heavily forested. The province is named after Lake Ontario, a thought to be derived from Ontarí, io, a Huron word meaning great lake, or possibly skanadario. Ontario has about 250,000 freshwater lakes, the province consists of three main geographical regions, The thinly populated Canadian Shield in the northwestern and central portions, which comprises over half the land area of Ontario. Although this area mostly does not support agriculture, it is rich in minerals and in part covered by the Central and Midwestern Canadian Shield forests, studded with lakes, Northern Ontario is subdivided into two sub-regions, Northwestern Ontario and Northeastern Ontario. The virtually unpopulated Hudson Bay Lowlands in the north and northeast, mainly swampy. Southern Ontario which is further sub-divided into four regions, Central Ontario, Eastern Ontario, Golden Horseshoe, the highest point is Ishpatina Ridge at 693 metres above sea level located in Temagami, Northeastern Ontario. In the south, elevations of over 500 m are surpassed near Collingwood, above the Blue Mountains in the Dundalk Highlands, the Carolinian forest zone covers most of the southwestern region of the province. A well-known geographic feature is Niagara Falls, part of the Niagara Escarpment, the Saint Lawrence Seaway allows navigation to and from the Atlantic Ocean as far inland as Thunder Bay in Northwestern Ontario. Northern Ontario occupies roughly 87 percent of the area of the province. Point Pelee is a peninsula of Lake Erie in southwestern Ontario that is the southernmost extent of Canadas mainland, Pelee Island and Middle Island in Lake Erie extend slightly farther. All are south of 42°N – slightly farther south than the border of California. The climate of Ontario varies by season and location, the effects of these major air masses on temperature and precipitation depend mainly on latitude, proximity to major bodies of water and to a small extent, terrain relief. In general, most of Ontarios climate is classified as humid continental, Ontario has three main climatic regions

9.
Toronto
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Toronto is the most populous city in Canada and the provincial capital of Ontario. With a population of 2,731,571, it is the fourth most populous city in North America after Mexico City, New York City, and Los Angeles. A global city, Toronto is a centre of business, finance, arts, and culture. Aboriginal peoples have inhabited the area now known as Toronto for thousands of years, the city itself is situated on the southern terminus of an ancient Aboriginal trail leading north to Lake Simcoe, used by the Wyandot, Iroquois, and the Mississauga. Permanent European settlement began in the 1790s, after the broadly disputed Toronto Purchase of 1787, the British established the town of York, and later designated it as the capital of Upper Canada. During the War of 1812, the town was the site of the Battle of York, York was renamed and incorporated as the city of Toronto in 1834, and became the capital of the province of Ontario during the Canadian Confederation in 1867. The city proper has since expanded past its original borders through amalgamation with surrounding municipalities at various times in its history to its current area of 630.2 km2. While the majority of Torontonians speak English as their primary language, Toronto is a prominent centre for music, theatre, motion picture production, and television production, and is home to the headquarters of Canadas major national broadcast networks and media outlets. Toronto is known for its skyscrapers and high-rise buildings, in particular the tallest free-standing structure in the Western Hemisphere. The name Toronto is likely derived from the Iroquois word tkaronto and this refers to the northern end of what is now Lake Simcoe, where the Huron had planted tree saplings to corral fish. A portage route from Lake Ontario to Lake Huron running through this point, in the 1660s, the Iroquois established two villages within what is today Toronto, Ganatsekwyagon on the banks of the Rouge River and Teiaiagonon the banks of the Humber River. By 1701, the Mississauga had displaced the Iroquois, who abandoned the Toronto area at the end of the Beaver Wars, French traders founded Fort Rouillé on the current Exhibition grounds in 1750, but abandoned it in 1759. During the American Revolutionary War, the region saw an influx of British settlers as United Empire Loyalists fled for the British-controlled lands north of Lake Ontario, the new province of Upper Canada was in the process of creation and needed a capital. Dorchester intended the location to be named Toronto, in 1793, Governor John Graves Simcoe established the town of York on the Toronto Purchase lands, instead naming it after Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany. Simcoe decided to move the Upper Canada capital from Newark to York, the York garrison was constructed at the entrance of the towns natural harbour, sheltered by a long sandbar peninsula. The towns settlement formed at the end of the harbour behind the peninsula, near the present-day intersection of Parliament Street. In 1813, as part of the War of 1812, the Battle of York ended in the towns capture, the surrender of the town was negotiated by John Strachan. US soldiers destroyed much of the garrison and set fire to the parliament buildings during their five-day occupation, the sacking of York was a primary motivation for the Burning of Washington by British troops later in the war

10.
Toronto Maple Leafs
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The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League, the team is one of the Original Six league members. They are owned by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, Ltd. and are represented by Chairman Larry Tanenbaum, in February 1999, they moved to the Air Canada Centre, which replaced Maple Leaf Gardens, the teams home since 1931. The franchise was founded in 1917, operating simply as Toronto and known today as the Toronto Arenas, as it was operated by the Toronto Arena Company, in 1919, the NHL transferred the franchise to new owners who christened the team the Toronto St. Patricks. The franchise was sold in 1927 and was renamed the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club, the team colours are navy blue and white. The Maple Leafs have won thirteen Stanley Cup championships, second only to the 24 championships of their primary rival and they won their last championship in 1967. Their 48-season drought between championships is currently the longest in the NHL, with an estimated worth of US $1.15 billion in 2015 according to Forbes, the Leafs are the third most valuable franchise in the NHL, behind the Montreal Canadiens and the New York Rangers. In 2015, they were ranked by Forbes as the 37th most valuable team in the world. The National Hockey League was formed in 1917 in Montreal by teams belonging to the National Hockey Association that had a dispute with Eddie Livingstone. Instead, they opted to create a new league, the NHL and they also remained voting members of the NHA, and thus had enough votes to suspend the other leagues operations, effectively leaving Livingstones squad in a one-team league. However, the other wanted to have a team from Toronto. They also needed another team to balance the schedule after the Bulldogs suspended operations, the NHL granted a temporary Toronto franchise to the Arena Company, owners of the Arena Gardens. The Arena Company leased the Blueshirts players and was given until the end of the season to resolve the dispute with Livingstone, the franchise did not have an official name, but was informally called the Blueshirts or the Torontos by the fans and press. Under Manager Charlie Querrie and Head Coach Dick Carroll, the Toronto team won the Stanley Cup in the NHLs inaugural season, although the roster was composed almost entirely of former Blueshirts, the Maple Leafs do not claim the Blueshirts history. Also that year, the Arena Company decided that only NHL teams would be allowed to play at the Arena Gardens—a move which effectively killed the NHA, Livingstone sued to get his players back. Mounting legal bills from the dispute forced the Arenas to sell most of their stars, when it was obvious that the Arenas would not be able to finish the season, the NHL agreed to let the team halt operations on February 20,1919. The NHL ended its season and started the playoffs, the Arenas.278 winning percentage that season is still the worst in franchise history. However, the 1919 Stanley Cup Finals ended without a winner due to the flu epidemic

The Maple Leafs score against Detroit during the 1942 Cup Finals. Down three games to none in the best-of-seven series, the Leafs won the next four games, performing the only reverse-sweep in the Cup Finals.

A delayed penalty call situation, in which the referee (top-left) indicates a coming penalty by raising his arm, and prepares to blow the whistle when a player from the team to be penalized (in white) touches the puck. Goaltender Jere Myllyniemi can be seen (right) rushing to the bench to send on an extra attacker.